Southampton Central Parks
The Southampton Central Parks are a set of five parks, which collectively make a central public park, in the heart of the city of Southampton. Created between 1854 and 1866, they have gained Grade II* listed status, as well as being part of the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. The parks are legally Common Land.
History
The land on which the parks now lie can trace their formation back to the medieval period, in which the lands surrounded the developing town of Southampton. As a result, they were used as open fields, where locals had Lammas rights - which allowed burgesses the right to pasture after the harvest. This was usually between August and April. This resulted in the land having many paths crossing it, which form the basis of the paths through the park now. The Southampton Marsh Act 1844 then gave the local authority the power to acquire and then build on the area, as well as Southampton Common. However, public protest led the council to protect 50 acres of this land. Throughout the 1840s, Lammas rights were slowly purchased, allowing development of the park to start. This development was protracted, hence why the parks gradually opened from 1854 to 1866.West Park and East Park were the West and East Magdalens, lands granted for the maintenance of the leprosy hospital of St Mary Magdalene.
Houndwell Park and Palmerston Park both made up the area known as Houndwell Field. The field is named for the stream that arises near the junction of where Pound Tree Road and Sussex Road in now located. The western edge of Hoglands formed the eastern boundary, and a fragment of a boundary bank still survives. The establishment of a new boundary occurred when the southern portion of Palmerston Road was constructed in the middle of the 18th century, alongside the Salisbury and Southampton Canal.
East Park
East Park, also known as Andrews Park is the largest of all the parks. It was named after Richard Andrews, a former mayor of Southampton. Within the park, there is a statue dedicated to him due to his respected nature after his tenure as mayor. The Statue is made from Portland Stone. It originally sat atop a highly decorated pedestal made of bath stone. This weathered poorly and was replaced with a simpler one in 1971. This was in turn replaced with a taller but still plain pedestal in 2002.Since 1902 the park has been home to a sundial erected to mark the coronation of Edward VII. It is made from Portland Stone.
The park also has the Titanic Engineers' Memorial, dedicated to those who died when the Titanic sank. Finally, there is the Queens Peace Fountain. This was built in 2000, on the site of a previous fountain. It was built to commemorate Elizabeth II as well as '56 years of Peace'.
Hoglands Park
Hoglands Park is the park that usually holds sports events, as well as festivals, circus' and fairgrounds. This is due to it being a more open space than the other parks. It also has a skate park and a pavilion 'decorated by local artists'.The earliest recorded name for the area Hoggesland dates to 1273 with the name later being known as 'Hogsland'. The area was made a park in 1844. Prior to that point the area had been leased by the then town for farming.
During World War II the park was used as a site for air raid shelters one of which took a direct hit which killed 16 people. Later it saw use as a base by American military police. The American 14th Major Port was also based there and for a period after the war its huts were used for housing. In 1926 the Borough of Southampton added a cricket scoring box to the park. It was a square building with two stories the upper of which was accessed by a ladder.
Speakers Pedestal
Within the park is Southampton's Speakers' Corner, consisting of steps with a guard rail. It was built in 1971, due to the significant increase in protesters on the recently pedestrianised High Street. As the High Street was still legally a highway, these protesters were arrested, charged and found guilty. To mitigate issues surrounding free speech, the council agreed to construct a speaker's corner in one of the parks, out the way of the shops on the High Street. It was first used on 27 November 1971 by an anti-apartheid group. It is rarely used now, with most protesters using the Guildhall Square.Houndwell Park
Houndwell Park's main attraction is its large playground, the only one in any of the central parks. This playground gets frequent upgrades due to it being well used by locals. The park also houses the memorial to William Chamberlayne, the MP for Southampton between 1818 and 1829. This memorial is called the 'Gas Column', with it standing 50 ft high. It was moved to Houndwell park in 1865. The name may be derived from the nearby Houndwell spring.There is evidence for roman and Saxon era activity on the site of the park. A Romano-British kiln was located in the south-west part of Hound-well Park. In the 1790s part of the Salisbury and Southampton Canal was built across the land that would become the park.
The area was made a park in 1844. Prior to that point the area had been leased by the then town for farming. The canal was filled in over approximately 5 years from 1846 onwards.